AI Says...
Understanding their power of attraction in order to break free from it
Adherence to far-right ideas—whether based on the rejection of immigration, fear of the so-called “great replacement,” religious identity-based withdrawal, or certain forms of religious extremism—is often analyzed through social, economic, or cultural factors. These elements certainly matter. But they are not enough to explain why such ideas can sometimes provide those who embrace them with a sense of certainty, pride, or even deep personal satisfaction.
This is because these ideologies activate a more discreet yet highly effective mechanism: an ego-based reward circuit. They do not necessarily promise tangible improvements in people’s lives, but they offer something psychologically very powerful—the feeling of being right, of belonging to a “clear-sighted” group, of standing on the right side of history against a mass portrayed as blind or manipulated.
In a complex, unstable, and anxiety-provoking world, these narratives simplify reality. They turn vague fears into clear stories, designate identifiable culprits, and offer a strong sense of identity. The individual no longer feels lost; they become the holder of a truth. This transformation is rewarding. It soothes anxiety and strengthens self-esteem, even when it rests on distorted or caricatured representations of reality.
It is precisely here that the thought of Immanuel Kant, particularly in The Critique of Practical Reason, provides decisive insight. Kant draws a sharp distinction between two things: acting because something is right, and acting because it makes us feel good. For him, an action is genuinely moral only when it is carried out out of duty—that is, out of respect for a moral law that reason recognizes as valid for everyone. As soon as an action is motivated primarily by fear, anger, resentment, or the need for recognition, it leaves the realm of morality and enters that of inclination.
Extreme ideologies operate precisely on these emotional levers. They create an illusion of virtue by generating intense emotional responses. One feels indignant, courageous, defiant, sometimes even heroic. But emotional intensity is not a criterion of morality. Feeling moral is not the same as being moral. Kant already warned against this confusion: the feeling of moral purity can be one of the ego’s greatest traps.
Another central element of Kantian thought helps dismantle these narratives: the requirement of universality. For Kant, a moral rule has value only if it can be applied to everyone without contradiction. An idea that works only for “us” against “them,” a morality that justifies exclusion, hierarchy, or the dehumanization of certain groups, immediately fails this test. It may reinforce a sense of identity, but it cannot serve as the foundation of a just society.
Radical ideologies nevertheless give their followers the feeling of being free, independent, liberated from political correctness or dominant thinking. But this freedom is often illusory. In reality, individuals adopt prefabricated narratives, repeat slogans, and align themselves with a ready-made worldview supplied by a group, a leader, or a sacralized tradition. Kant would describe this as a renunciation of moral autonomy: obeying an external authority while believing oneself to be thinking independently.
Breaking away from these patterns does not come through brutal confrontation or stigmatization. It begins with a shift in perspective. Rather than immediately debating the content of the ideas, it is often more fruitful to ask what they provide internally. What need do they soothe? What fear do they make bearable? Why do I need an enemy in order to feel just or legitimate? These questions are not meant to induce guilt, but to loosen the narcissistic grip of ideology.
Kantian thought ultimately calls for a demanding yet liberating effort: accepting uncertainty, complexity, and doubt rather than comfortable and aggressive certainty. To think morally is not to feel superior, but to recognize in every human being an end in themselves, never merely a means to reassure a fragile identity.
Extreme ideologies are seductive because they reward the ego. Morality, in the Kantian sense, begins precisely where one renounces that reward.
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